DIGITAL TURBINE ADVERTISER CONTENT GUIDELINES
1. Intro.
Digital Turbine works at the convergence of media and mobile communications, connecting top mobile operators, device manufacturers and publishers with app developers and advertisers worldwide. Digital Turbine’s proprietary mobile delivery platform powers frictionless user acquisition and engagement, operational efficiency and monetization.
In order to safeguard our partners, Digital Turbine has developed Advertiser Content Guidelines which must be adhered to in order to provide our users with the best possible user experience.
These Content Guidelines supplement any existing agreement between Digital Turbine, Inc. and its affiliates (collectively, “Digital Turbine”, “we,” “our”, or “Media Company”) and the entity engaged with Digital Turbine under such agreement (“Advertiser,” “you,” or “your”) in which these Content Guidelines are incorporated. For the purposes of these Content Guidelines, Advertiser shall mean both an advertiser and agency, and vice versa.
The following guidelines must be met in order to be approved for delivery.
2.0. Application Overview.
APK Requirements
Digital Turbine requires that any APK file that is delivered or otherwise made available to its inventory be available in the Google Play Store, as applicable. Digital Turbine and its carrier and device manufacturer partners do not approve any “custom” APK files that have different features or functionality then what is available in the Play Store, unless otherwise approved in advance and in writing by Digital Turbine.
Version Control
In order to support updates to existing APK files, the newer version must have an incremented version number. Digital Turbine cannot accept an updated APK file that is the same or lower version than what is currently being installed . If you have additional questions, please contact the Technical Account Management Team (“TAM”) at tam@digitalturbine.com.
The (TAM) team will monitor APK updates from the Google Play Store. We will make reasonable commercial effort to ensure we are delivering the most recent version available on the Google Play Store. Nonetheless, there may be a slight delay between the updated APK which is available in the Play Store and the version available for install. In this instance, the older APK version will continue to be installed. Advertiser shall notify the TAM team of any APK updates and also provide the newest file through our customer portal. This will reduce the amount of time between the app update and the new file delivery. The TAM customer portal can be accessed at the following URL: https://digitalturbine.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/1/create/9
2.1. Prohibited Content.
Adult Oriented Content.
Digital Turbine does not allow any applications or content that contain or promote sexually explicit content, such as pornography or adult services. The following content is prohibited:
- Offline adult entertainment
- Adult merchandise
- International bride services
- Images containing exposed skin and nudity
- Promotes sexually explicit content
- Promotes escort services or other services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation
- Content that depicts, describes or encourages bestiality
- Images of scantily clad men or women (ie bikinis, lingerie, etc)
Hateful Content.
Digital Turbine does not allow any application or content that contains or promotes hateful content. The following content is prohibited:
Hate speech or advocacy against a protected group, individual, or organization based on, but not limited to, the following:
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Color
- National origin
- Sexual orientation
- Sex
- Gender identity
- Religious affiliation
- Age
- Disability
- Medical or genetic condition
- Status as a veteran
- Status as a refugee
- Status as an immigrant
- Organizations, groups, or individuals associated with promoting hate, criminal, or terrorist-related content
- Degrading, mocking, or harassing references to events or practices that negatively affected a protected group
Violence.
Digital Turbine does not allow applications or content that depict or facilitate violence or other dangerous activities. The following content is prohibited:
- Graphic representations or descriptions of realistic violence or violent threats to any person or animal,
- Terrorist groups documenting attacks,
- Instructions for engaging in violent activities including weapon or bomb making.
Gambling Related Content.
Digital Turbine does not allow applications or content that promote services that facilitate online gambling, online casinos, sports betting, lotteries or games of skill that offer prizes or cash or other value. The following content is prohibited:
- Applications that allow a user to bet or wager in order to earn real money
- Applications that redirect any users to a gambling or betting website where users can wager to earn real money
- Any offline or online gambling or promotion of gambling related information
- Games or applications played for any prizes
Illegal Activities.
Digital Turbine does not allow any applications or content that encourage, facilitate, or promote illegal activities. The following content is prohibited:
- Facilitating the sale or purchase of illegal drugs or prescription drugs without a prescription
- Instructions for growing or manufacturing illegal drugs
- Depicting or encouraging the use or sale of drugs, alcohol or tobacco by minors including imagery symbolizing the same
2.2. Impersonation and Intellectual Property.
Digital Turbine does not allow applications from developers that impersonate other brands or entities. This includes titles, logos or tradenames used in a manner that may be misleading to users.
Digital Turbine does not allow applications that induce, encourage or facilitate copyright infringement. This includes streaming media applications that allow users to download or copy copyrighted content without authorization.
2.3. Deceptive Behavior.
Digital Turbine requires all applications to accurately disclose their functionality and perform as reasonably expected by the user.
Applications must not try to mimic or mirror device alerts or functionality from the operating system or other applications.
Any changes to the device settings must be made with the user’s explicit knowledge and consent .
Any changes to the device settings by an application must also be easily reversible by the user.
Digital Turbine does not allow any applications or in-application advertisements that interfere with system or device functionality. Any application notifications must be specific to the application and not for any other purposes.
Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that make changes to the device settings, system, browser settings, bookmarks, icons, widgets or other applications without first obtaining the user’s explicit consent (i.e. explicit opt-in via application of operating system settings).
Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that spam users. Spam is defined as any unsolicited messages or notifications that are duplicative and of lower quality. All applications must not send an SMS, email or other message on behave of the user without first obtaining consent of the message and the intended recipients.
2.4. Privacy and Security.
User Data.
The application must include a privacy policy which discloses the use and sharing of personal information. Digital Turbine requires that all applications be transparent in the collection of data about a user, the user’s use of applications as well as the device, as described in the privacy policy made available to the end user. All applications must disclose the specific data that is collected, the intended us of the data and any sharing of the data with third parties, all in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and Google policies (as applicable). The actual use of the data must comply with the description of the disclosure. The transmission of any personal or sensitive data must be done over a secured HTTPS connection.
Abuse of Device and Network Configurations. Digital Turbine does not allow applications that interfere with, disrupt, damage or access device configurations in an unauthorized manner. This includes any disruptive behavior to other devices, services, or other applications on the device. The following functionalities are prohibited:
- Applications that block or interfere with the functionality of other applications
- Applications that facilitate or give instructions on how to hack any services, devices, software or security protections
- Applications that access or use any API that causes device or network abuse
Malicious Behavior
Digital Turbine does not allow applications that secretly monitor device data or usage, collect, use or share data without explicit user consent (i.e. opt-in) or are otherwise malicious in behavior. The following items or behavior are prohibited:
- Any viruses, Trojan horses, malware, spyware of other malicious software.
- Applications that link to of facilitate the distribution or installation of any malicious software
- Applications that misuse a user’s information such as usernames or passwords or mimics other applications to trick users into disclosing personal information
- Applications that install other applications on a device without the user’s consent
- Applications designed to secretly collect device or other usage data as referenced above
2.5. In–App Advertising Guidelines.
Digital Turbine works very closely with its carrier and device manufacturer partners to ensure that applications being offered to their subscribers provide the best possible user experience. Many applications offer in-app advertisements in the form of banner and interstitial ad units. In order to preserve the overall user experience and application quality, we require that industry standards must be followed. Please reference the below documentation for best practices when integrating display advertisements within your application and before submitting for approval from Digital Turbine. Please pay particular attention to the sections of disallowed practices. Applications will be rejected if they demonstrate any of these behaviors.
Banner Guidelines:
https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6128877?hl=en&ref_topic=2745287
Interstitial Guidelines:
https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6066980?hl=en&ref_topic=2745287
Additional Requirements.
In addition to the above guidelines, the following requirements which must also be met:
Banner advertisements must only be served while the user is actively engaged in the application. Applications that continue to run in the background after a user exists must not display advertisements that interfere or interrupts any other activities with the device including home-screen or lock-screen takeovers.
- This applies to devices that may be in a standby, sleep or lock mode.
- There should also be no functionality in the application that would allow a user to opt into home-screen or lock-screen advertising.
- Any updated applications will require to be recertified to ensure compliance with the above guidelines.
Any application that is found to be in violation of the best practices will immediately be removed from our carrier catalog.
2.6. Prohibited Functionality.
Under no circumstance are the following functions allowed within any application. Failure to comply will result in immediate removal and permanent banning of the Advertiser.
- Functionality or advertising that initiates change, interacts, or interferes with the home screen of the device
- Functionality or advertising that initiates change, interacts, or interferes with the lock screen of the device
- Adding additional icons to the device
- Any form of monetization that utilizes the home-screen or lock-screen, or is not based within the application.
- Any form of monetization utilizing an auto-renewal subscription.
- Launcher features and functionalities, or any similar functionality or user interface that replaces, or has the adverse effect of replacing the pre-programmed default launcher of the device.
- Any lock screen takeover functionality that takes over the user interface of the application or device, or similar functionality (including but not limited to a screen takeover that contains an ad).
2.7. Other Guidelines.
Digital Turbine has additional guidelines that must be adhered to in order for your application to be distributed:
- Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy shall be accessible within the application. Such policies must accurately describe the application’s functionality and data collection and use practices.
- Application shall at all times comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
- Agency will require all third-party applications to attest to their compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
- All applications must be rated following CTIA and/or ESRB standard content ratings guidelines. The application must be appropriately rated based upon the content of the application.
- All applications must be COPPA Compliant. More information can be found here: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule
- Applications are not permitted to access any user contact list for the purposes of direct marketing or other any other activity without the user’s prior explicit permission.
- All applications must notify users of any required device permissions and allow the user to either grant or decline such permissions
- All application permission capabilities must also match what is listed in the Google Play store and the applications description.
- The application operates with ‘Runtime Permissions’ (i.e. application will not be granted any permissions at installation time and Device or user data will not be collected. Instead, application must ask the user r for a permission one-by-one at runtime).
- Advertiser must ensure that (i) the advertisement or application (as applicable) will perform as described by Advertiser at the time the advertisement or application (as applicable) was submitted to Digital Turbine; and (ii) will perform in accordance with the applicable documentation and its intended functionality and standards.
- All applications must comply with all applicable Google policies or applicable mobile application store guidelines.
- All applications including free applications must have implemented Google Play License Check which automatically checks for any updates when the application is opened. If there is an updated application version, the user must be notified of the available update and ask for permission to install the update or to dismiss and allow application usage.
- All application APK must be under 2GB in size.
- All applications submitted must also have a customer support contact for Digital Turbine, our partners, or end users to contact in case of questions.
Last Updated September 28th, 2023.